Give a Gift that Gives Twice!
If you're shopping for gifts, consider looking to your local nonprofits! When you purchase gifts from nonprofit organizations, you’re not only treating your loved ones (even the hard-to-shop-for people!), you’re recognizing and supporting organizations that make our communities vibrant.
Below are some ideas to consider this gift-giving season:
Gifts that Give Year-Round
Consider a membership to a local nonprofit. There are an awful lot of choices and here are just a few suggestions…Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Farnsworth Art Museum, Maine MILL, Maine Discovery Museum, and many more that will keep giving all year long.
An Experience
Tickets for a night out make a great gift. Check out the upcoming events at your local nonprofit theater or music venue, such as The Boreal Theater, Chocolate Church Arts Center, The Grand, Franco Center, Snow Pond Center for the Arts, and many more.
The Great Outdoors
For the outdoorsy person in your life, consider a visit to Viles Arboretum, enjoy some cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at Maine Huts & Trails or bundle up and make a date with a loved one to explore your local land trust.
Something that CAN Go in a Box or a Bag
Many nonprofits, like your local museum, historical society, or nature center, have gift stores on-site or online. Check out the Abbe Museum's shop or the Center for Maine Craft, a retail shop run by the nonprofit Maine Craft Association that sells goods made by Maine-based artists. Many libraries have book sales, or a Friends of the Library bookstore, too.
Puppies and Kittens and Wild Animals, Oh My!
Cute animals are always a hit. Check out Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, Animal Welfare Society, Bangor Humane Society, Midcoast Humane, Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, and SPCA of Hancock County among many others to give a gift that the animal lover in your life will appreciate. (Warning: If you go to the animal adoption pages, we cannot be held responsible for your actions!) Interested in supporting a wilder animal? Adopt an ambassador through the Center for Wildlife.
Expand Your Table
Many of our member organizations are anticipating an increase in residents facing food insecurity this winter. As you plan holiday gatherings, keep in mind the organizations that help Mainers have access to the nutrition they need, and consider how you can contribute. This is a short list of some of the groups in Maine that are working tirelessly to end food insecurity: Augusta Food Bank, AIO Food and Energy Assistance, Waterville Area Soup Kitchen, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, Wayside Food Programs, Bath Area Food Bank, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Locker Project, and Catholic Charities Food Bank.
Fulfill a Wish
If you don’t see anything above that seems exactly right, search our member directory for other organizations around the state and seek out something that is right! You can search by county or by mission (or both!). Many organizations will have an easy way to donate or even a wish list of needed supplies.
There are so many ways you can find a distinct gift, avoid the mall mayhem, AND support a nonprofit all at the same time! So, make your list, check it twice, and don’t forget about all of the extraordinary organizations that make Maine such a unique place. Your gift will continue giving throughout the year.